60 Second Summary
Nutrition during infant years is fundamental to good health for the rest of our lives. The first three years are particularly important since appropriate feeding during this time has been associated with lowering morbidity and mortality, reducing the risk of chronic disease, and contributing to optimal mental and physical development. WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for infants up to six months with no other liquids or solids, including water (unless specifically required, e.g. oral rehydration solutions, vitamin/mineral supplements). Over the period of 2007-2014, about 36% of infants aged 0–6 months worldwide were exclusively breastfed. Research into breastfeeding is still needed to determine which factors in human milk, versus the act of breastfeeding itself, are most important for producing the beneficial effects. Infants develop at different stages, with most being ready for solids at around six months. Repeated dietary exposure to a fruit or vegetable also increases the likelihood of the infant eating it. Infants repeatedly exposed to different vegetables on alternate days ate more of not only the vegetables to which they were exposed, but also novel vegetables. Colic is a common presentation in pharmacies. This is usually defined as crying for at least three hours per day, on at least three days per week, for at least three weeks. In healthy infants, regurgitation of feeds is very common: it affects at least 40% . This usually begins before the infant is 8 weeks old, becoming less frequent with time.
